In photos: Music for 18 Musicians at BBC Proms

News Story

This August, we debuted our immersive interpretation of Steve Reich's minimalist masterpiece Music for 18 Musicians at Bristol Beacon, as part of the BBC Proms 2026. With each player distributed on plinths across the floor of the Beacon Hall, and audiences invited to walk amongst the players, we transformed the orchestra into a living sonic installation.

Relive the performance by listening back on BBC Sounds. 

In photos: Music for 18 Musicians

  • A close-up image of two cellists performing. You can see only the musicians' hands as they bow their instruments.
  • An orchestral player embraces a friend or family member after concluding a performance. In the background of the image, a large audience and a marimba is visible.
  • Two violinists, both dressed in white, perform on the floor of Beacon Hall at Bristol Beacon in near darkness. The two players are illuminated by a white spotlight.
  • A cellist is performing. She is a woman with blonde hair and glasses, wearing a white top and white trousers. She is sitting down in a performance space which is atmospherically lit in a wash of blue lighting.
  • Paraorchesta perform at Bristol Beacon. The musicians are spread across the floor of Beacon Hall, situated on plinths. The space is dimly lit with the players illuminated in warm orange spotlights.
  • A marimbist is performing in front of a large audience. The player is situated on a plinth on the floor of a performance space. Audience members roam around the player. The space is illuminated in a wash of warm lighting.
  • Two marimbists perform facing each other. They are situated on a plinth in a performance space which is dimly-lit in a wash of dark orange lighting.
  • Two marimbists perform facing each other. They are situated on a plinth in a performance space which is dimly-lit in a wash of dark orange lighting. The image has been edited to give a blurred effect, creating a sense of dynamism and motion.
  • Paraorchestra perform at Beacon Hall in Bristol Beacon. The players are situated on plinths on the floor of the hall, while a large audience roams around them. The space is illuminated in a wash of blue lighting.
  • Paraorchestra perform at Beacon Hall in Bristol Beacon. The players are situated on plinths on the floor of the hall, while a large audience roams around them. The space is atmospherically lit in a wash of blue lighting with white spotlights illuminating the players.
  • A large audience dances and moves around a performance space. They are illuminated in a wash of blue lighting that contrasts with orange flecks of light. A white spotlight shines through the centre of the audience.
  • Paraorchesta perform at Bristol Beacon. The musicians are spread across the floor of Beacon Hall, situated on plinths. The hall is lit in a wash of blue lighting, with warm orange spotlights illuminating the players. This photograph is taken from the balcony, with the silhouettes of two audience members in the foreground of the image.

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